Alumni & Friends Magazine Volume 4 | Summer 2018

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VOLUME 4 | 2018

MPCC PRESIDENT

RYAN PURDY

FROM THE PRESIDENT GREETINGS ALUMNI OF MID-PLAINS COMMUNITY COLLEGE, “Transforming lives through exceptional learning opportunities for individual student success.“ The MPCC mission accurately reflects what we do and the excellence our students demonstrate validate it.

At the National Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) Conference, our McCook chapter members finished with three top 10 finishes including two first place awards. The North Platte Volleyball Team finished third in the nation in team GPA amongst all divisions in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) with a team GPA of 3.72. The McCook Men’s Golf Team won the Region IX title for the first time since 1973. The North Platte Men’s Basketball Team and the McCook Women’s Softball Team were also Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference champions.

For 2017-18, members of the MPCC executive administration presented “The Value of Mid-Plains Community College” throughout the 18-county 2 | w w w.mp cc.ed u | 80 0 .345.3600

service area at 23 meetings of civic organizations, school boards, and county commissioners. More than 300 individuals attended those sessions and from feedback, the average level of satisfaction was a 4.31 on a scale of 1 to 5 with five being very satisfied.

As part of our “Leading for Tomorrow” strategic plan, one of our goals was to expand technical offerings throughout our 18-county service area.

MPCC purchased the building that has housed our Center for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) in McCook since November 2008. We cut the ribbon on the technical shop expansion at our Broken Bow Community Campus to increase applied science course offerings in welding and electrical fields. MPCC purchased mobile training units in electrical and HVAC to provide education and training to area high schools and businesses.

Mid-Plains Community College continues to respond to the need of the community. The

nursing program has increased the number of Associate Degree Nursing students admitted to the program by eight. In partnership with Great Plains Health and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, nurses, having met the UNMC entry requirements, now have the opportunity to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing locally. The Business and Community Education department contacted over 200 businesses to provide continuing education units, business training and development opportunities for local business and industry.

Thank you all for your support of Mid-Plains Community College. We take pride in serving our communities and desire to continue improving in all areas to sustain and grow West Central and Southwest Nebraska.

Ryan Purdy, President

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ADVANCING MPCC DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS,

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The women and men who have graduated from Mid-Plains Community College – more than 3,385 in the past decade - are living examples of the power of an MPCC education. I’m constantly struck by how everyone in the communities we serve seems to know someone who is attending or has graduated from MPCC. Our graduates are teachers, healthcare professionals, electricians, firefighters, entrepreneurs - the backbone of a prosperous, healthy workforce and great ambassadors for the college, whether they realize it or not.

Additionally, the college is deeply appreciative of the support alumni and friends of MPCC have provided, through contributions to the McCook and North Platte Community College Foundations, so that future generations of MPCC students can realize the benefits of postsecondary education.

An investment in MPCC, whether it’s for student scholarships, academic program support, athletics, or facilities, will ensure that MPCC honors its mission of transforming lives through exceptional learning opportunities for individual student success.

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There are numerous ways to support MPCC. I personally invite you to drop us a line, send an e-mail, or give us a call. I welcome the opportunity to talk with you about how your investment will ensure a brighter future for our great institution and the students we serve.

With gratitude,

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Message from the President

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NPCC propels Ryan Bland around the world

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Emma Petersen finds her passion close to home

8 Students earned associate

degrees while still in high school 6

Andy Heck named MPCC Alumni of the Year

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MPCC Broken Bow expands technical offerings

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Plans for Imperial Campus expansion well underway

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Justin Epting draws on faith, family, & roots for Soul Food restaurant

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Small-town artist making big-time impact

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MCC alumni & community golf tourney nets $2k for scholarships

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McCook & North Platte welcome back alumni for volleyball scrimmages

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Nursing program expands at MPCC

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MCC international students meet with sixth grade pen pals

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Liberian students reap benefits of old MPCC computers

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Welding students help restore veteran grave markers

Bonnie Kruse, Area Director of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director, NPCC Foundation

connect with us!

CREDITS

Editor JoAnn Lundgreen Designer Jessica Epting

Story Contributors Brent Cobb Heather Johnson Diane Wetzel

Photo Contributors Brent Cobb Heather Johnson Diane Wetzel

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NPCC PROPELS

RYAN BLAND

AROUND THE WORLD R

yan Bland (‘07) has been around the world – only to end up right back where he started.

“It’s a little bit different from the last time I was here,” said Bland, looking around the McDonald-Belton Building at North Platte Community College. “Back then, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life.”

That’s all changed for the North Platte native.

Bland has returned to NPCC to continue his education, but now with a clear sense of direction.

He knows exactly where he wants to be and that NPCC can help get him there – just like it did the first time around.

NPCC gave him the foundation and confidence to work his way up to that. He graduated from NPCC in 2007, then transferred to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln where he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 2011.

“Probably the coolest thing that happened to me in Lincoln, however, was that I became involved with the Japanese community,” said Bland. “I lived with some Japanese students and became very interested in their culture. I wanted to experience it first-hand, so I made the decision to go to Japan to work and teach.”

“I definitely credit NPCC with setting me up for all the experiences I’ve had over the years,” said Bland. “What allowed me to be successful was the teachers’ willingness to go out of their way to help me. I was never afraid to approach them if I had a question, which made the difference in my ability to understand material long-term. I still remember it to this day.”

“Community college was like a springboard.

Now, the sky is the limit.”

After Bland graduated from Maywood High School in 2004, choosing a career path became a daunting task. He decided to take general education classes through NPCC to buy some time. The school was affordable and close to home. It also seemed less intimidating than a larger, four-year college or university.

Before he could do that, Bland had to become certified to teach English as a foreign language.

He did so through San Diego State University’s American Language Institute.

“When I was younger, I went to a country school,” Bland said. “Because of that, I knew a low studentto-faculty ratio would be good for learning. In retrospect, I think it would have been really overwhelming to go straight from Maywood to University of Nebraska - Lincoln.”

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“I went to Japan in August of 2013,” said Bland. “It was an amazing experience. I taught 5 to 18-yearolds at a private school in Nagakute, Aichi during the week, then taught students up to age 75 on the weekends.”

He found the time to be eye-opening and reflective.

“It was very beneficial to see how Japanese culture compares to mine,” said Bland. “I think it’s important to get that global perspective – now more than ever with everything happening around the world. It influences the decisions we make within our own societies. It’s also important to realize not everyone has the same beliefs as us.

There are differences, and that’s OK.” Bland returned to the U.S. in September of 2015, but has plans to go back to Japan. That’s part of why he’s at NPCC. “I think it would be fun to start a foreign exchange program at a high school,” said Bland. “I want to get a master’s degree in education through Colorado State University, so I can do that, but I need a statistics class to help me get there. The CSU program didn’t start until July of 2018, so I figured I might as well move back to North Platte for a while, save some money and take statistics through NPCC.” He currently serves as a math and chemistry tutor at the college and uses his personal experience to dole out advice to those he mentors.

“Like many students here, I came from small beginnings,” said Bland. “I grew up in a rural area, went to a community college, then used those credits to transfer to a bigger college. Community college was like a springboard. Now, the sky is the limit.”

He has narrowed the scope down a little, however.

“I would like to be a professor someday, so I’m working my way toward that,” said Bland. “It took some time, but I’ve finally discovered who I want to be when I grow up - the type of person who does the best he can.”

EMMA PETERSEN

FINDS HER PASSION CLOSE TO HOME

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t was a great stepping-stone – a place to explore options, find herself and embark on a path to a job she loves.

That’s how Emma Petersen (‘16) describes her experience at North Platte Community College. Petersen graduated from NPCC with two degrees – an Associate of General Studies and an Associate of Arts.

She now works as the prevention, education and outreach coordinator for North Platte’s Rape/Domestic Abuse Program.

“It took me awhile to decide what I wanted to study,” said Petersen. “That was what was nice about NPCC. While I was figuring out what I was interested in, I was doing so at a price I could afford.”

Her initial goal was to study history, specifically ancient history, and one day become a museum curator. However, after taking Psychology, Petersen switched her focus to that and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the subject area from Chadron State College.

“Eventually, I would like to pursue counseling certifications, but for now, I’m really enjoying what I do,” said Petersen.

She now travels to schools within RDAP’s six-county area: Lincoln, Logan, Hooker, Thomas, Cherry and McPherson, talking about violence prevention, providing one-on-one advocacy and offering community referrals. NPCC is one of her stops.

“Probably my favorite part is presenting to students,” said Petersen. “Parents aren’t always comfortable talking to their kids about things such as dating violence. I enjoy being able to explain, ‘Here’s what a healthy relationship looks like, and here’s how and where to get help if you need it’.”

She credits NPCC for leading her to that opportunity.

“I think the college is a huge asset to this area,” said Petersen. “It’s an important component not only in keeping people here, which I’m proof of, but also in moving rural Nebraska forward.”

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WHILE I WAS FIGURING OUT WHAT I WAS INTERESTED IN, I WAS DOING SO AT A PRICE I COULD AFFORD.” www.mp cc . e d u | 8 00. 34 5 . 36 00 | 5

ALUMNI OF THE YEAR

ANDY HECK

NAMED MPCC ALUMNI OF THE YEAR A

ndy Heck (‘67) is Mid-Plains Community College’s 2017 Alumni of the Year.

Heck, now retired and living in South Carolina, is a former junior college All-American running back, professional football player and president of a major lighting manufacturer who also earned two Purple Hearts for his service in Vietnam.

“Andy is a fine example of the quality of students that attend community colleges,” said MPCC President Ryan Purdy. “He took a chance coming to McCook, Nebraska from halfway across the U.S. to run track and ultimately play football. Andy credits his time at McCook as the catalyst to his successes in his life.”

Originally from Bergen, N.J., Heck was recruited in the early ’60s to run track at what was then known as McCook Junior College. However, he soon found himself on the football team after the school’s football coach noticed his speed and agility.

Heck was named a junior college All-American running back during his time in McCook recognition that caught the attention of major universities, including Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. According to a September 2014 Wake Forest Magazine article entitled, “The Thing He Carried,” written by Kerry M. King, Heck was equally attracted to Wake Forest because of its small size and strong academics.

It wasn’t long before Coach Bill Tate signed him to the university’s football team as a replacement 6 | w w w.m p cc.ed u | 8 0 0 .345.3600

for Brian Piccolo. Piccolo went on to serve as a running back for the Chicago Bears.

Heck ended up leading the Wake Forest team in rushing in 1965 and 1966 – also the year he won the team’s Most Valuable Player award.

After two years at Wake, Heck headed north of the border to play professional football with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League. He rejected an offer from the San Diego Chargers in the process.

“Andy is a fine example of the quality of students that attend community colleges,” A year later, Heck was drafted into the U.S. Marine Corps. He landed in South Vietnam in January 1968 – one week before the Tet Offensive, a series of surprise attacks against military and civilian command and control centers throughout the country.

Heck was severely injured during a night patrol in Quàng Nam Province when a Marine walking in front of him stepped on a booby trap.

Heck caught shrapnel in his back, arms and legs and was medevacked to U.S. Naval Hospital Guam.

He didn’t know it at the time, but back on campus classmates were writing him get-well wishes.

“Take a minute to send a Get Well message to WFU’s Andy Heck who was grievously wounded in Vietnam,” read a sign beside a scroll stretched out on the old information desk in Reynolds Hall.

Upon completion and unfurled on a football field, the paper stretched from the end zone to the 35-yard line.

Heck almost didn’t live long enough to see it. He was sent back to Vietnam a few months later, and the scroll made its way from Wake Forest to Heck’s mother.

Heck was back in Vietnam for only a month when he was wounded again, shot in the chest during a firefight near Hué. He earned two Purple Hearts as a result and still bears scars from the shrapnel.

After he recovered, Heck was discharged from the Marines and returned home to New Jersey.

He found a package from Wake Forest waiting for him. He’s never counted the number of names on the scroll, but guesses there must be close to 3,000, which would be almost everyone at Wake Forest in the spring of ’68.

Andy eventually married, and he and his wife Marnie raised three sons. He went on to have a successful career with the International Paper Co. and became president of Sylvania Lighting US. Today, he and Marnie are retired and living on Pawleys Island, S.C.

Broken Bow Expands Technical Offerings

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he Mid-Plains Community College Campus in Broken Bow unveilled its newly expanded technical shop to the public on April 16, 2018.

“The community college has really been wellutilized in Broken Bow since the building was built in 2011,” said Kaci Johnson, Broken Bow Campus Coordinator. “Now we welcome those folks who helped make it possible to see what the future holds for MPCC in Broken Bow. We are very excited to have our new addition, which will expand what we are able to offer right here in town.”

Crews began adding on to the south end of the technical shop in mid-July in an attempt to increase the amount and types of technical training offered at the campus.

construction freed up the original shop space, where welding used to be, for automotive technology, small engine repair or other programs that will be determined based on industry need.

They created an additional 3,500-square-feet of space that can accommodate not only more MPCC classes, but also trainings for local businesses.

The total cost of the project was $292,000. Of that, MPCC committed $135,000, and Custer Campus, Inc. contributed $157,000.

Welding and electrical classes now have their own area that includes a grinding room. The

Plans for Imperial Campus Expansion Well Underway

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n Spring of 2020, people will start seeing more than cars and trucks in the parking lot at the Imperial Community Campus. Construction equipment and workers will become the new normal as the Imperial Community Campus begins the long

awaited expansion process to help accommodate increasing student enrollment and emerging needs from residents of Chase County.

Originally established in 2004, the Imperial Campus has reached its physical threshold for space.

The addition is now used for trainings in electrical technology and heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration.

Mid-Plains Community College Board of Governors and Administrators determined that expanding the Imperial Campus was necessary to meet the needs of students and individuals throughout Chase County area. The expanded campus will include more space for general education courses and also a large technical space to offer on-site applied technical science courses to accommodate urgent industry training needs. According to campus coordinator, Brenda Ledall, “The expansion will provide an opportunity for nursing classes and other lab required courses to be held on campus in the new lab classroom.

This health and science classroom will provide ample opportunity to

schedule classes during the day and night to meet the growing need for nursing assistants, LPNs and RNs in Imperial.”

The Imperial Community Campus expansion is expected to be completed by Fall 2020. Within three years of completion, overall enrollment is expected to increase by 32%.

The Imperial Community Campus expansion would not be possible without the support of many organizations, businesses, and individuals throughout Chase County. “This is really an exciting time for Imperial and Chase County. I can’t wait for students and businesses to experience what’s possible at the Imperial Campus,” said Ledall.

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STUDENTS EARNED ASSOCIATE DEGREES

WHILE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL

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aking college classes won’t be an intimidation for Dominic Naughtin (‘18) and Emily Cady (‘18) - they’ve been down the road before.

Both Naughtin, of Sutherland, and Cady, of North Platte, will start college as juniors despite the fact that they just graduated from high school in May 2018.

“I won two scholarships, each good for up to three credit hours, during MPCC’s Inter-High Scholastic Contest,” said Naughtin. “I used them to take Intro to Business and Intro to Information Technology.”

“For the most part, I kept my college classes separate from those I took in high school,” Naughtin said. “I didn’t know how well I was going to do with the college classes because I was taking them at such a young age, and I didn’t want them to affect my high school outcome.”

At the same time, Naughtin received an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business with an emphasis in Business Administration, and Cady earned an Associate of Arts degree from Mid-Plains Community College.

He appreciated the flexibility and convenience of MPCC’s online classes and that taking college-level courses made his high school work a breeze.

NAUGHTIN “I had over 80 credits when I graduated from MPCC,” Naughtin said. “Part of that was because I switched majors from engineering to business. That was what was great about Mid-Plains. I was able to experience some of the classes I thought I was interested in and then, when I realized that wasn’t what I wanted to study after all, switch without going into a bunch of debt.”

Naughtin took his first college class the summer after his freshman year of high school.

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Naughtin signed up for more classes through MPCC that fall and every semester thereafter. Almost all of them were online, however, Naughtin also took a dual credit class and tried out the distance learning and hybrid Sunday College options.

Afterward, Naughtin sat down with his mom to see what his options were for taking additional college classes.

“I knew taking them early would put me that much further ahead both money-wise and time wise,” Naughtin said. “It did.”

“I was introduced to concepts in college before I was introduced to them in high school,” said Naughtin.

“When I took Precalculus in high school, I was able to teach my classmates what I had already learned in college the summer before.”

Naughtin was able to transfer his credits to the University of Nebraska–

Lincoln, where he plans to study business administration and finance.

“I’ve always been business-minded,” Naughtin said. “So, I’m hoping to get my real estate license in the first six months to a year that I’m at UNL and work as a broker while still in school.

After that, I’ll probably remain in real estate in some capacity. There are a lot of options out there.”

CADY About half of the MPCC classes Cady took were dual credit, meaning they were taught in the high school and

“I did it that way because not all of the classes I wanted to take counted as dual credit,” said Cady. “It was also a timing issue. For example, I took College Algebra in the summer so that I could focus on other classes during the school year.”

She became interested in Mid-Plains after her mother graduated from there as a non-traditional student.

“I took my first dual credit class my junior year of high school,” said Cady.

“I mostly wanted to get my generals out of the way before heading to Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Coming from a small town, I thought it would be kind of overwhelming to go straight to a university.”

and taught me a lot about time management,” Cady said. “I had to learn to prioritize.”

She enlisted the help of both her guidance counselors at the high school and the advisors at MPCC in developing a schedule.

“The resources were definitely in place to help me succeed,” Cady said. “And, while the college classes were more challenging than those at the high school, there wasn’t anything I wasn’t capable of doing. I just had to work a little harder.”

Cady will head to Nebraska Wesleyan with more than 60 credits. She plans to major in elementary education and possibly branch into special education.

The urgency to get those generals out of the way intensified after her father died in June of 2017.

the opportunity to double major or even study abroad if I want to. It was definitely worth the effort.”

“My family’s financial situation took a downturn, so I had to figure out how to do more with less,” said Cady.

“I had to think not only about how to get a college education, but also how to get the most benefits out of that college experience.”

Naughtin couldn’t agree more.

“It was hectic, but it really gave me a sense of what college is like

3 METRICS COMPARED

• Student-to-Faculty Ratio • Graduation & Transfer Rate STUDENT TO FACULTY • Cost of Tuition & Fees RATIO

“It helps that I won’t be on such a time crunch to get things done,” Cady said. “Because of everything I accomplished at MPCC, I will have

“Not only did taking classes from MPCC save me money and provide me with a better grasp of concepts before going to the university, but it also drastically cut down the time it will take me to finish my college education.”

Cady enrolled in MPCC’s online classes and took four more on campus. Monday through Thursday of each week, she would attend high school in the morning, college in the afternoon then go to work.

TOP TEN IN THE NATION 9:1

“I would do it all over again,” said Naughtin. “Not only did taking classes from MPCC save me money and provide me with a better grasp of concepts before going to the university, but it also drastically cut down the time it will take me to finish my college education. I tell my friends and family all the time - I’m not a genius. There are other kids capable of doing the same thing I did. They just don’t know about the opportunity.”

COLLEGES COMPARED

MPCC’s Ranking #7

MPCC was the only Nebraska community college to make the list.

USEFULNESS OF TRAINING RATING

BY GRADUATES

GRADUATION RATES

applied toward both high school and college credit. The other half were separate from the high school – taken in the same manner as the classes Naughtin completed.

85%

OVERALL RATING OF GRADUATE TRAINING BY EMPLOYERS

80% 15%

5%

15%

Very Good/Good

Very Good/Good

Average

Average Poor/Very Poor

JUSTIN EPTING DRAWS ON FAITH, FAMILY, & ROOTS FOR SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT J

ustin Epting (‘01) may have one of the toprated restaurants in the country, but he hasn’t forgotten where he came from. In fact, it’s his faith in God, his family and his roots that he credits for his current success.

“Glory be to God,” said Epting. “He’s been taking very good care of us.”

Epting was recently featured by “Travel Noire,” a digital publishing platform that offers tips and resources for unconventional travelers.

His Bellevue-based business, Quick Bites Soul Food, was highlighted in the article, “50 Restaurants, 50 States: The Best Black-Owned Restaurants In America.” It was the only restaurant in Nebraska to make the list.

“I always knew I wanted to own a soul food restaurant,” said Epting. “Most of the stuff I learned about cooking came from my mom, Dot Epting.”

Quick Bites wasn’t even on the radar when Justin graduated from North Platte High School in May of 1993. He joined the U.S. Navy a month later, but was forced into an early medical retirement in 1997 after being diagnosed with kidney disease.

“At that point, I returned to North Platte,” Justin said. “I worked for the railroad for a while then started college at North Platte Community 10 | w w w.m p cc.ed u | 80 0 .345 . 3600

College. That’s where I really got my focus and started thinking about my future.”

“He’s the perfect example of someone who got his start in his own backyard, and I hope others see that.

It’s not ‘nothing’ out here in rural Nebraska.

It’s ‘something’” He graduated from NPCC’s Emergency Medical Technician program in 2001 then transferred to the University of Nebraska Omaha to study nutritional science.

“My idea was to become a nutritionist, then go to med school and become a doctor,” said Justin.

Plans changed when he had to have a kidney transplant and was unable to continue his studies.

“I realized being a doctor wasn’t really what I wanted to do anyway,” Justin said. “So, I switched gears. I had been working at a restaurant while going to school and had been learning as much about the business as possible because whatever I’m doing, I want to be the best. Since I had a foot in the door, I decided to go back to my original dream and open my own restaurant.”

The restaurant was ready by September of 2016.

Business picked up quickly as word about Quick Bites spread. Soon, people from all over the state were coming through the doors to experience the catfish nuggets, cornbread, red beans and rice, collard greens, watermelon sweet tea and other delicacies offered.

His success has been a celebration for the whole family, but it’s quite possible that no one is prouder than his mom.

“Quick Bites has been such a blessing for Justin,” Dot said. “It’s been a vision of his for so many years, and he’s worked so hard for it. He’s the perfect example of someone who got his start in his own backyard, and I hope others see that.

It’s not ‘nothing’ out here in rural Nebraska. It’s ‘something’ - in some cases, a tipping point for a diamond in the rough.”

A

rmando Villarreal grew up in Imperial and always dreamed of being a professional artist. His high school art instructor in Imperial was Dik Haneline, who now teaches at North Platte Community College.

“I was going to be a diesel mechanic,” Villarreal said.

“I didn’t know anything about being an artist.”

“One day, after I got after him to finish an assignment, he told me it didn’t matter because he was going to be a mechanic,” Haneline said. “All I said was, ‘Sure you are’.”

After high school, Villarreal attended McCook Community College from 1995-96 and 2001-02 where he studied with Don Dernovich, who is now retired.

“Mr. Haneline introduced me to Don, who was the art instructor at McCook. Don was exactly what I was looking for in an art instructor. He was a realist, he was very skilled and he was a practicing artist and well known,” Villarreal said. “He was someone that could help me grow as an artist as well as learn the business of art. I visited Don at some of his shows and saw what it really took to be an artist.”

After attending McCook Community College, Villarreal transferred to the University of NebraskaLincoln.

On the first day of classes in the second semester of his senior year in 2003, Villarreal’s Army Reserve unit was called to go to Iraq.

“I got the call to deployment at three in the afternoon and was to report to North Platte at 7 a.m. the next morning,” he said. “We had to drive through a blizzard to get there.”

job in Florida painting show motorcycles. After three months, the business closed. He packed up and moved to California, where he found another job painting motorcycles. His motorcycle art has won prestigious awards in Sturgis, S.D. and in Madera, Calif.

“When the motorcycle shop in California closed, I found a want ad for artists on Craigslist,” he said.

“There were between 400-500 artists who applied for the job.”

Villarreal went to work for Victory Fine Art, a company devoted to sports art. After working there for a time, he decided to venture out on his own.

“I work for myself, and I have a day job, so I have health insurance. I don’t get much sleep between the two jobs and having a family,” said Villarreal.

However, he is still connected to his passion.

“I am still very active in my art career,” Villarreal said.

“Now that I am on my own, I can do motorcycles and anything else I choose. In the last year, I have painted a baseball bat for the Kansas City Royals as a gift for George Brett, a portrait for the White Sox to give to Hawk Harrelson as a retirement gift, several motorcycles and I just finished painting almost 200 special edition football helmets for Mississippi State University.”

Villarreal works from photographs, and the finished product must look like the photograph, only better.

“I love what I do,” he said. “Everyone has to be the best. You have to step up to paint.”

Villarreal had also served in Kosovo in 2000.

Villarreal and his wife, Lora, and their sons, Jaxsen and Benji, now live in Imperial. Imperial was a great place for Armando to grow up, and now his children will have the opportunity to grow up there, too, and know their grandparents.

After serving 365 days in Iraq, finishing college wasn’t high on Villarreal’s priority list. He found a

“I’ve done the starving artist thing, where we lived on microwave popcorn,” Armando said. “My wife

has always been very supportive of my work, and now things are finally beginning to pay off.”

Spending time with students is still important

“I like that it was affordable, close to home and with smaller classes, it was easier to interact with the instructors” to him. He keeps in touch with his former instructors and often visits the campus to do art demonstrations.

“It’s good for them to see art created for real,” he said. “Mr. Haneline has remained a friend and mentor to me. I know he talks about me a lot and seeing me work gives creditability to what he is telling his students.”

Villarreal is also appreciative of his time at MidPlains.

“I like that it was affordable, close to home and with smaller classes, it was easier to interact with the instructors,” said Armando.

Villarreal’s work can be viewed at: ArmandoVillarrealStudios.com and on Facebook. com/AVillarrealStudios. ” Much of this story was written by Diane Wetzel and was originally published in The North Platte Telegraph in 2013. The story was updated for this publication by Jo Ann Lundgreen. The photo was also taken by Diane Wetzel for The Telegraph and is published with permission.

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MCC ALUMNI & COMMUNITY GOLF TOURNEY NETS $2K FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

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here were 19 teams that competed in McCook Community College’s alumni/community golf tournament June 23 at Heritage Hills Golf Course.

The winner of the four-person scramble was the team of John Lange, Paul Knopick, Blake Becher, and Taylor Moore.

2017-2018

ATHLETICS WRAP UP McCOOK WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: The Lady Indian Volleyball Team finished the season with the school’s first winning season in recent memory and reached the 20-win milestone, finishing with a 21-20 record.

Sophomores Megan Orth (Peyton, Colo.), Jessica Mahan (Colorado Springs) and Dylann Bylund (Colorado Springs) each made the All-Region Team. Orth and freshman Ryan Maddera (Greeley, Colo.) made the Region IX South All-Tournament Team.

In addition, the Lady Indians were awarded the Shelia R Worley Sportsmanship Award at the Region IX South Tournament in Scottsbluff.

Orth and Mahan signed on to play this fall for the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

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The tournament had 20 hole-sponsors with the $2,248 in proceeds from the event going toward scholarships for MCC graduates planning to transfer to a four-year college or university.

Be on the look out for information regarding the 2019 event.

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Under Coach Brandon Lenhart, the MCC men finished the season 18-13. The Indians were 10-5 at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center.

Sophomores D’Von Moore (Statesboro, Ga.) and Chinedu Okonkwo (Enugu, Nigeria) and freshman Peanut Cunningham (Louisville, Kent.) were named to the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference Team. In addition, Okonkwo was named to the Region IX Third Team All-Conference Team.

Moore has signed on to play at Clayton State in Georgia. Okonkwo will play at West Florida. Andrew Epps II (Layfayette, La.) will play for Southwestern Oklahoma. Chuol Biel (Grand Island) and Kafani Williams (Pembroke, N.H.) will play at Concordia University in Seward and freshman Isaiah Richardson will play at Bluefield College in New Jersey.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: The Lady Indians finished 6-25 on the season under secondyear coach Kellen Fernetti.

Freshmen Aliyah Foote (Lawrenceville, Ga) and Sam Hinkle (Rifle, Colo.) were both selected to the All-Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference Team.

SOME MCCOOK COMMUNITY COLLEGE ALUMNI who participated in the MCC alumni/community four-person scramble golf tournament included (from left): Nick Weimers (2014), Tom Lewis (2004), Tyler Loop (2004), Joel Linim (2014), Bridger Ryan (2016), Caleb Wonderly (2018), Steve Bales (1985), and Jake Reiners (2011).

BASEBALL: The Indians finished the season 16-40, 6-17 in Empire League play, 5-28 on the road and 11-12 at home.

Sophomore Jake Sanford (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia) was named to the 2018 first team All-Region IX Team. His .374 batting average led the Indians and was eighth best in the region. He had a .450 on-base average and slugged .700, the all-time best for any MCC hitter. His 12 home runs tied for the Region IX lead and he drove in 55 runs in 54 games – the fourth most RBIs in the region. He also had 16 doubles and five triples. His 73 total bases were second best in the region. He will play next season at Division I Western Kentucky.

Also, sophomore Michael Sookdeo, Brampton, Ontario, signed on to continue his baseball career at Division I Grambling State. Sookdeo tied for seventh in the Region IX ranks with 44 RBIs in 54 games.

He batted .310 this past season with four home runs, nine doubles, a .415 on-base average and .446 slugging percentage in 217 plate appearances. He walked 24 times which was sixth most in the region.

SOFTBALL: The Lady Indians under Coach Josh Barnes finished 29-25 on the season

but 10-2 to win the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference.

The 2018 team set school records for batting average (.366) and doubles (124).

Sophomore Alexis Moeaki (Las Vegas, Nevada) set a school record with 76 RBIs this spring and hit.468, scored 61 runs, hit 22 doubles and 11 home runs. She finished as McCook’s career leader in batting average (.464), hits (176) and RBIs (142).

She was named First-Team All-Region IX Infielder for the second consecutive year and was named one of 102 studentathletes to make the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s National Junior College Athletic Association all-region team.

In addition Moeaki was one of five Lady Indians named to the Omaha WorldHerald’s all Nebraska junior college team and named as the team’s honorary captain.

Also named to the team were sophomore Taya Thorpe (Malad, Idaho), freshmen Emily Charchuk (Victoria, British Columbia), Jerusha Miner (Gunnison Valley, Utah) and Chanel Siebenthal (Lakewood, Colo.)

Thorpe set MCC records for pitching appearances (52), games started (45), innings pitched (234.2) strikeouts (202).

McCook & North Platte Welcome Back Alumni for Volleyball Scrimmages Charchuk set the season record for doubles (25) and runs scored (66) while Miner set the single-season stolen base record with 39.

Sophomore Kaylee Wengren (Taylorsville, Utah) established the career best for walks with 46.

MEN’S GOLF: Under Coach Tyler Loop, the MCC golfers won the year-long Region IX golf title -- the first for MCC since 1973 and played in the four-day National Junior College championships at the Rawls Course – home course for Texas Tech University.in Lubbock, Texas. The team finished 21st.

Individually, freshman Cameron Lampe (Windsor, Colo.) and sophomore Brady Rogers (Ord, Neb.) finished as first-team all-conference with Lampe winning the tiebreaker for first overall in the conference.

That MCC duo gained national attention April 12 in Sterling, Colo. when they shot an albatross, and an eagle on the same hole.

Cameron Lampe shot a hole-in-one and Brady Rogers an eagle.

NORTH PLATTE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: The Lady Knights volleyball team, coached by Alexa McCall, finished their season with a 19-23 record and tied for first in the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference with Central Community College. Luisa Hernandez (Yuma, Colo.), Carlie Wytulka (Nucla, Colo.), and Aly Camacho (Scottsbluff, Neb.), each were named to the Region IX Division II All-Region team. Hernandez, Wytulka, and Antonya Schaffert (Otis, Colo.) were named to the All-Tournament team. The Lady Knights were runners-up in the Region IX Division II tournament.

MEN’S BASKETBALL: The Knights men’s basketball team, coached by Kevin O’Connor, finished their season at 15-13, losing in the first round of the Region IX tournament to Trinidad State Junior College.

The Knights were the NCCAC champions.

Godfrey Rolle (Abaco Bahamas) was the NCCAC’s Most Valuable Player. Jakub Karwowski (Warsaw, Poland)and Goy Lew (Omaha Neb.) were also named to the AllNCCAC team. Rolle was also named to the second team of the All-Region IX team.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: The Lady Knights basketball team, coached by Interim Head Coach Ashley Belle finished the season with a 4-22 record. The Lady Knights lost in the first round of the Region IX Division II tournament to Central Community College. Nahatabaa Nacona (Chinle, Ariz.) was named to the All-Region IX Division II team and Peighton Porter (Houston, Texas) was named to the All-Region IX Division II Tournament team. Nacona and Naria Hall (Wichita, Kan.) were named to the AllNCCAC team.

WOMEN’S SOFTBALL: The Knights softball team, coached by Janelle Higgins, rounded out the athletic season and finished with a 5-34 record. They finished the season in the Region IX Division II first round series, losing to Southeast Community College two games to one. Sophomores Erin Renwick (Brighton, Colo.), Alyiah Franco (Syracuse, Utah), and freshman Kenlee Wanlass (Elsinore, Utah) were named to the All-Region IX Division II team. Sophomore Ana Talaroc-Kaniho (Lahaina, Hawaii), along with freshmen Emily Marsden (Papillion, Neb.) and Mikayla Gibson (West Valley, Utah)

The MCC Volleyball Team reached out this summer to former Lady Indians to see if there was enough interest to bring them on campus for a scrimmage with the current team.

They played August 18, 2018.

The NPCC Volleyball Team gave their fans a glimpse of the upcoming season when they scrimmaged alumni at the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on the south campus of NPCC on August 20, 2018.

were named to the All-Region IX Division II Tournament team.

MPCC RODEO Mid-Plains Community College sent a record number of rodeo team members to the College National Finals Rodeo in 2018.

Nine competed at the CNFR in Casper, Wyo. June 10-16. Those included the team’s first woman CNFR qualifier, Mykelsi Schnose (Oelrichs, S.D), as well as two-time regional bull riding champ Garrett Wickett (Norfolk, Neb.). Overall, MPCC entered nationals second in the Great Plains Region in the men’s team standings and third in the women’s team standings.

Schnose rounded out the season third in the breakaway roping. Her efforts are largely what propelled MPCC to its third place finish in the Great Plains Region women’s team standings. It was the second year in a row that Wickett had been at the top of the Great Plains Region leaderboard going into the bull riding at the national finals. He ended the season with 546 points – 66 points ahead of the second place finisher. www.mpcc . e d u | 8 00. 34 5 . 36 00 | 1 3

HAPPENINGS AT MPCC

Nursing Program Expands at MPCC M id-Plains Community College has expanded its Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program in response to the nursing shortage happening both regionally and across the country.

A total of 32 students were admitted to the ADN program this semester as compared to 24 in the past. Another eight Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) students will bridge in come March – for a graduating class of 40 in 2020.

“The primary reason we expanded the ADN program was because of local demand,” said Dr. Kathy Harrison, MPCC Director of Nursing.

“No matter where we go in our 18-county service area, the feedback we get is that hospitals and other health care facilities need more registered nurses.”

A report from Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) shows there were 907 registered

nurse positions open in MPCC’s service area this year. That figure is anticipated to jump to 976 by 2023 due in part to an increased emphasis on preventive care, growing rates of chronic conditions and demand for health care services from baby boomers.

EMSI lists the median earnings for registered nurses in MPCC’s service area as $29.52 per hour. The acceptance of more students into the ADN program at Mid-Plains means those currently residing in MPCC’s service area can stay close to home while training for a lucrative career.

“We are pleased that Mid-Plains Community College continues to support the needs of the health care community in this way,” said Fiona Libsack, Great Plains Health chief development officer. “The nursing shortage has made staffing a true challenge across the nation

and has most certainly affected us here at home. Mid-Plains has been an excellent partner, focused on collaboration and solutions, as we work together to ensure quality health care is available as close to home as possible.”

From the student perspective, the ADN program at Mid-Plains will remain relatively unchanged

aside from adding more seats. The curriculum is the same as is the eight-to-one student-to-faculty ratio in the clinical area, thanks to the hiring of Alma native Addie Schaeffer as a new nursing instructor.

More information about the ADN program and other health care offerings at Mid-Plains can be found online at mpcc.edu.

MCC INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS MEET WITH SIXTH GRADE PEN PALS MEMBERS OF McCOOK COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S International Club met with six graders from St. Patrick’s school for a year-end luncheon. The students have been corresponding via mail since the beginning of the school year and many were able to finally meet their pen pals on campus on Apirl 23, 2018.

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LIBERIAN STUDENTS REAP BENEFITS OF OLD MPCC COMPUTERS

H

igher education just became more accessible for a group of students in Liberia.

The computer lab at Nimba County Community College now has 21 new computers, including 14 Dell laptops that once belonged to Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte, Nebraska.

The computers were purchased by members of the Atlanta, Ga. based Union for Nimba Development and Progress, a nonpolitical, not-for-profit organization created by Nimba County immigrants living in the U.S. The rest of the computers in the lab were also provided by UNNIDEP members and donor partners.

UNNIDEP members strive to

orchestrate positive change in the living, working and educational conditions of their families back home.

Liberia is emerging from a brutal civil war that reduced the country's infrastructures and institutions to nothing. Although the war has since ended, its lingering effects continue to take a toll on the many Liberians still living there today.

Many lack access to basic health care services, which translates to high infant mortality rates, increased mental illness, childhood malnutrition and deaths. One of the ways UNNIDEP is trying to change that is by providing the resources students need to receive a quality education.

"Education is the only tool we can use to empower and impact our people in the most significant way," said Karneh Tour, UNNIDEP Executive Director. "When empowered, they can in turn use those sets of skills and knowledge to impact their communities, Nimba County and Liberia in a positive manner."

UNNIDEP's connection to MidPlains is through MPCC information technology instructor and Liberian native Emmanuel Luke. Luke picked up the laptops for UNNIDEP at a surplus equipment auction MPCC hosted a year ago.

Not only do they enhance the accessibility of technology to

students at the Nimba County Community College, previously the computer to student ratio was about 45 to 2,000, but the equipment also provides a valuable upgrade. The last time the lab had new computers was 2005, and most were in need of repair.

According to Matthew Gongbee, Project Manager, the computer lab now provides an integrated computer and research experience for the students and faculty at the Nimba County Community College that they didn't have before.

More information about the work UNNIDEP is doing and how the public can help is available at: unnidep.org.

Welding Students Help Restore Veteran Grave Markers

F

irst-year students at McCook Community College completed a community-service project where they helped restore veteran grave-side markers.

Instructor Mike Harris said he requires first-year students to do a community-service project. When Tom Stritt, Red Willow and Furnas County Veteran’s Service Officer, contacted him, MCC students were excited.

In addition to doing this locally, Harris is encouraging students to go back to their home towns, make contact with veteran organizations and take the lead in putting their welding skills to work in restoration projects like this.

Some markers were simply cleaned up, some required welding markers to the stakes, and some were major fixes.

There were 10 first-year students who were involved in this project over the past year. Nine more will continue the work this year. www.mp cc . e d u | 8 00. 34 5 . 36 00 | 1 5

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